This document will focus on the writing process and the use of a word processor such as Microsoft Word. Steps are outlined along with the integration of technology.It does not attempt to be an all-inclusive document and therefore please feel free to expand where necessary.It is understood that different schools and classes have varied degrees of access to technology.Under ideal conditions the teacher and students will have access to technology from the pre-writing stage to the published copy. This document should be transferable for all writing assignments from essays and poetry to ???
Index
Why?
Stage One:Introducing and exploring the topic
Stage Two: Generate ideas and focus thought processes
Stage Three: Rough Draft
Revision process
Rough Draft 2
Publish
Why? vNo other tool in a teacher's arsenal can be as an effective tool for facilitating the writing process as a computer. vAllows for real time teacher involvement in the writing process. v*Most pre-writing activities can be effectively carried out in the classroom vFacilitates editing (self, peer, teacher) for the purpose of draft revisions. vDevelops student skills for the new millennium. vWe can ensure better outcomes if we pay more attention to the processes. B) The Writing Process - Stage One:Introducing and exploring the topic Use MINDMEISTER for organizing thoughts concepts and ideas. http://www.mindmeister.com/
Research/resource material may be electronic or paper based
. Here the teacher uses a variety of activities to generate interest in a topic: vOn-line Graphical Dictionary vWiki web site for information / story starters… etc. vClass discussion, vVisit or field trip, vVisitor in the classroom, vVarious print resources, vMovies and /or video format information, vAudio tapes or cd, vInternet, vElectronic media cd-roms, laser discs, vInterviews vCan be teacher directed The teachers main goal is to generate interest in the topic by exposing the students to an as a wide of variety of stimuli as possible. The student should be starting to think about who their audience will be. C) Stage Two: Generate ideas and focus thought processes Here the teacher assists the students through a variety of pre writing activities that are designed to jump start the thinking processes.There are a number of activities that accomplish this goal, but it is important to focus on only one or two strategies at a time.It is also important that the teacher models the strategy.Do not assume that the student knows how to do what is expected of them. These activities are listed in chronological order since they have an effect on the scope and sequence on the writing process.
Brain-storming - Brainstorming is a small or large group activity. It is very effective in generating ideas, because no idea is scratched or disregarded no matter how extreme or off topic it seems.It is best used as a lead up to pre-writing, webbing and /or outlining
Free writing-Here the student writes freely about the topic/experiences.He /she do not pay any attention to grammar, etc.The focus is putting his/her thoughts down on paper. Inspiration is a great tool for encouraging students to be random thought generators.
Story Starters- The teacher facilitates discussions which helps the students generates ideas for the assignment. The teacher gives the students the opening sentence. i.e. As I was walking through the woods......,I spotted ......., It was a cold January day ........
Webbing - Webbing is probably the teachers and students most useful pre-writing technique.It allows you to focus your ideas in an orderly fashion, or to promote the generation of new ideas. Webbing involves the selection of a key phrase or idea which is placed in a center circle.The center circle is surrounded by words related to the topic. These words are circled and connected to the main circle using lines. MINDMEISTERis the perfect tool for this.
Outlines - Outlining gives a scope and sequence of the writing project from introduction to conclusion. This technique is beneficial is developing a class generated outline.This outline can be distributed to the students using your network.
* Clozure - Closure allows a teacher to focus on key-words and concepts. In addition it helps students with sequencing their thought processes. Clozure is a very useful tool if applied to an outline.*
D) Stage Three: Rough Draft Prior to starting the rough draft, students must make decisions in regard to: vForm- Form is a term which refers to the recognizable shape of a text or a speech act vFunction - Function is the term used to express the purpose of a text or of a speech act vAudience- Audience is a term used to refer to the reader of a text, or the listener to what we say. vTone- In a general sense, 'tone' is the attitude of the speaker or writer as revealed in the choice of vocabulary or the intonation of speech. vStyle - Style is a particular set of characteristics in the use of language. Here the student takes their outline or web and actually starts their rough draft. It is important that the student double spaces his or her work. At this stage they do not worry about order, as word blocks are easy to manipulate on the computer. Nor does the student concern themself with spelling or punctuation, they can check for mistakes later. The student focuses on catching their audience’s attention with a strong lead. The student should try to show or paint a visual picture, not just tell a story. Once the rough draft as been typed and spell checked using the word processor, the student is ready to move into the revision stage. Revision: Using the following revision check list, the students revise his/her writing. If at all possible the teacher should try to conference with the student while he or she is at the computer. Real time teacher interaction with the writing process is the most important “THING" that technology allows a teacher to do. At this stage the students pays most attention to content. Revision Checklist: vDoes my lead sentence grab the reader’s attention? vIs my main idea and purpose clear? vIs the ending strong? vAre the ideas in a logical order? vIs every idea supported with details? vDo my language and content suit the audience? vHave I kept the same tone throughout? vIs there any unnecessary repetition? STUDENT FINNISHES THEIR ROUGH DRAFT……………….. E) Rough Draft 2 The student has made the necessary improvements from the revision process.Here the student fine-tunes the rough draft by checking for errors in grammar, usage, mechanics, and spelling. When he/she checks for errors it is best accomplished if he/she checks for one kind of error at a time.It is also beneficial to have a peer check (Track Changes) for errors at this time as well. The following checklist may be helpful: vAre the sentences clear? vDo the verbs agree with the subjects? vAre the sentences complete? vAre words spelled correctly? vAre the sentences punctuated correctly? vAre capitals used correctly? vAre comas, quotations, colons, and semi-colons used correctly? F) Publish Here the student makes the necessary revisions and publishes his/her document. Have students include a title page.The title page should include the following: vThe title of the report/story/article vThe students name, class, grade vThe date
*
Essay Writing Guidlines from Web-CT BlackBoard:
Essay Writing Style Guidelines
The essay should be written using the MLA format which is outlined below.
Always refer to individuals (authors, etc.) by their last name or both names, never just their first name.
Avoid the use of abbreviations and slang of any sort.
Proof Reading: the importance of proof reading cannot be understated. You can include teachers, friends, parents, etc. to point out areas you could improve upon or simple spelling and grammatical errors. Note however, that extensive re-writing by any of the above is unacceptable.
Formatting: Type your response using 12 pt., times new roman font, 1-inch margins, double-spacing, and page numbers with the appropriate MLA style heading:
J. Smith
SS40S
Mr. Hull
September 9, 2004
Center the Title of your paper (no need to change ANY of the font)
Being writing your paper here….
Plagiarism and Integration of Ideas and Quotes Any ideas or direct quotes you take from the readings you have been given must be properly documented by placing the name of the author or website and the page number you acquired your information from in brackets at the end of the sentence or paragraph where you used someone else’s words OR ideas.
Any ideas or direct quotes you take from the readings you have been given must be properly documented by placing the name of the author or website and the page number you acquired your information from in brackets at the end of the sentence or paragraph where you used someone else’s words OR ideas. For example, “We have no obligation to make history. We have no obligation to make art. We have no obligation to make a statement. To make money is our only objective” (Eisner 29). Or an example of documenting an idea would be the following:
Michael Eisner, the CEO of Disney has indicated that Disney is not about art or history but instead has made it quite clear to all that making money is Disney’s only objective (Eisner 29).
When citing your sources within the text of your essay you simply need to place the author’s name in parentheses inside the period. If there is no author cited on the website, you would place the title in parentheses.
For Example:
Media concentration in Canada has increased 300% in the past three hundred years (Smith).
Works Cited When putting a Works Cited together (commonly referred to as a bibliography) you would do as follows:
Author's name (last name first). Document title. Date of Internet publication (Date of electronic publication or posting or latest update, whichever is most recent (if known). Date the article was accessed. [Place the URL (website) in brackets].
For Example:
Smith, John. Media Concentration in Canada. 25 June 2005.
31 October 2006. [www.mediaconcentration.ca].
NOTE: Works Cited pages should always be located on a separate** page from the end of your essay AND should be compiled in alphabetical order by the author(s) last name. Don’t forget to double space in indent the second and third lines of your reference (see above) as well as underline the title of the article.
4H Using Technology to Support the Writing Process Back to Home
BYTE 08 Technology and the Writing Process.doc
The Fusion of Technology and the Writing ProcessBYTE Conference - Feb. 2008
Quick Links:
1. BUZZIN LINK
2. On-line Graphical Dictionary
3. MINDMEISTER
4. Modern Language Association-Formatting and Style Guide - (MLA )
This document will focus on the writing process and the use of a word processor such as Microsoft Word. Steps are outlined along with the integration of technology. It does not attempt to be an all-inclusive document and therefore please feel free to expand where necessary. It is understood that different schools and classes have varied degrees of access to technology. Under ideal conditions the teacher and students will have access to technology from the pre-writing stage to the published copy. This document should be transferable for all writing assignments from essays and poetry to ???
Index
Why?
v No other tool in a teacher's arsenal can be as an effective tool for facilitating the writing process as a computer.
v Allows for real time teacher involvement in the writing process.
v *Most pre-writing activities can be effectively carried out in the classroom
v Facilitates editing (self, peer, teacher) for the purpose of draft revisions.
v Develops student skills for the new millennium.
v We can ensure better outcomes if we pay more attention to the processes.
B) The Writing Process - Stage One: Introducing and exploring the topic
Use MINDMEISTER for organizing thoughts concepts and ideas. http://www.mindmeister.com/
- Research/resource material may be electronic or paper based
.Here the teacher uses a variety of activities to generate interest in a topic:
v On-line Graphical Dictionary
v Wiki web site for information / story starters… etc.
v Class discussion,
v Visit or field trip,
v Visitor in the classroom,
v Various print resources,
v Movies and /or video format information,
v Audio tapes or cd,
v Internet,
v Electronic media cd-roms, laser discs,
v Interviews
v Can be teacher directed
The teachers main goal is to generate interest in the topic by exposing the students to an as a wide of variety of stimuli as possible.
The student should be starting to think about who their audience will be.
C) Stage Two: Generate ideas and focus thought processes
Here the teacher assists the students through a variety of pre writing activities that are designed to jump start the thinking processes. There are a number of activities that accomplish this goal, but it is important to focus on only one or two strategies at a time. It is also important that the teacher models the strategy. Do not assume that the student knows how to do what is expected of them. These activities are listed in chronological order since they have an effect on the scope and sequence on the writing process.
D) Stage Three: Rough Draft
Prior to starting the rough draft, students must make decisions in regard to:
v Form- Form is a term which refers to the recognizable shape of a text or a speech act
v Function - Function is the term used to express the purpose of a text or of a speech act
v Audience- Audience is a term used to refer to the reader of a text, or the listener to what we say.
v Tone- In a general sense, 'tone' is the attitude of the speaker or writer as revealed in the choice of vocabulary or the intonation of speech.
v Style - Style is a particular set of characteristics in the use of language.
Here the student takes their outline or web and actually starts their rough draft. It is important that the student double spaces his or her work. At this stage they do not worry about order, as word blocks are easy to manipulate on the computer. Nor does the student concern themself with spelling or punctuation, they can check for mistakes later. The student focuses on catching their audience’s attention with a strong lead. The student should try to show or paint a visual picture, not just tell a story. Once the rough draft as been typed and spell checked using the word processor, the student is ready to move into the revision stage.
Revision:
Using the following revision check list, the students revise his/her writing. If at all possible the teacher should try to conference with the student while he or she is at the computer. Real time teacher interaction with the writing process is the most important “THING" that technology allows a teacher to do. At this stage the students pays most attention to content.
Revision Checklist:
v Does my lead sentence grab the reader’s attention?
v Is my main idea and purpose clear?
v Is the ending strong?
v Are the ideas in a logical order?
v Is every idea supported with details?
v Do my language and content suit the audience?
v Have I kept the same tone throughout?
v Is there any unnecessary repetition?
STUDENT FINNISHES THEIR ROUGH DRAFT………………..
E) Rough Draft 2
The student has made the necessary improvements from the revision process. Here the student fine-tunes the rough draft by checking for errors in grammar, usage, mechanics, and spelling. When he/she checks for errors it is best accomplished if he/she checks for one kind of error at a time. It is also beneficial to have a peer check (Track Changes) for errors at this time as well. The following checklist may be helpful:
v Are the sentences clear?
v Do the verbs agree with the subjects?
v Are the sentences complete?
v Are words spelled correctly?
v Are the sentences punctuated correctly?
v Are capitals used correctly?
v Are comas, quotations, colons, and semi-colons used correctly?
F) Publish
Here the student makes the necessary revisions and publishes his/her document.
Have students include a title page. The title page should include the following:
v The title of the report/story/article
v The students name, class, grade
v The date
*
Essay Writing Guidlines from Web-CT BlackBoard:
Essay Writing Style Guidelines
Formatting:
Type your response using 12 pt., times new roman font, 1-inch margins, double-spacing, and page numbers with the appropriate MLA style heading:
J. Smith
SS40S
Mr. Hull
September 9, 2004
Center the Title of your paper (no need to change ANY of the font)
Being writing your paper here….
Plagiarism and Integration of Ideas and Quotes
Any ideas or direct quotes you take from the readings you have been given must be properly documented by placing the name of the author or website and the page number you acquired your information from in brackets at the end of the sentence or paragraph where you used someone else’s words OR ideas.
Any ideas or direct quotes you take from the readings you have been given must be properly documented by placing the name of the author or website and the page number you acquired your information from in brackets at the end of the sentence or paragraph where you used someone else’s words OR ideas. For example, “We have no obligation to make history. We have no obligation to make art. We have no obligation to make a statement. To make money is our only objective” (Eisner 29). Or an example of documenting an idea would be the following:
Michael Eisner, the CEO of Disney has indicated that Disney is not about art or history but instead has made it quite clear to all that making money is Disney’s only objective (Eisner 29).
When citing your sources within the text of your essay you simply need to place the author’s name in parentheses inside the period. If there is no author cited on the website, you would place the title in parentheses.
For Example:
Media concentration in Canada has increased 300% in the past three hundred years (Smith).
Works Cited
When putting a Works Cited together (commonly referred to as a bibliography) you would do as follows:
Author's name (last name first). Document title. Date of Internet publication (Date of electronic publication or posting or latest update, whichever is most recent (if known). Date the article was accessed. [Place the URL (website) in brackets].
For Example:
Smith, John. Media Concentration in Canada. 25 June 2005.
31 October 2006. [www.mediaconcentration.ca].
NOTE: Works Cited pages should always be located on a separate** page from the end of your essay AND should be compiled in alphabetical order by the author(s) last name. Don’t forget to double space in indent the second and third lines of your reference (see above) as well as underline the title of the article.